Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
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Unique ID: PUBLIC-712AD8
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A copper alloy sphere which may be a post medieval dagger pommel. The sphere is cast in one piece. It has a diameter of 19.95mm. There is a square hole in each end of the sphere. The holes are neat, small hole is (5.04mm diameter) and the other one is larger at (7.80mm diameter). The sphere is hollow and the wall is only 1mm thick. Spherical sword pommels (Ward Perkins' type VI) were most common in the thirteenth century but survive into the 14th century (Ward Perkins, 1940) and then become more popular again in the 15th century. This pommel is too small to be from a sword, and the patchy patina and condition of the metal suggest a post medieval date. It seems most likely that this was a pommel from a light dagger that was perhaps for show rather than functional, or perhaps was a toy. It is likely to date from the 16th century. The pommel is not decorated.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1500
Date to: Circa AD 1600
Quantity: 1
Height: 15.22 mm
Thickness: 1 mm
Weight: 13.4 g
Diameter: 19.95 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 16th December 2012
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.